Freedom

Freedom is the feeling I had this morning when I rode my bike for the first time.  Really rode my bike.  (I bought a road bike a few weeks ago).  I have ridden it a couple of times, but just tooled around the neighborhood to at least get on the thing.

I have been strangely intimidated by getting on the stupid bike.  I kept making plans with the woman whose husband owns the bike shop where I bought the bike.  The plans kept falling through.  She was going to teach me about the gears and managing the other riders in Central Park.  It is easy to get yelled at there.  I hate to get yelled at.  Navigating the streets of New York is sort of dicey.  The weather was iffy a lot of mornings and I did not want to get caught in the rain as a beginner.    

It's a bike for crumb sake, not a space ship.  So this morning, I saw Weather on the 1's (I am a die hard NY1 watcher in the morning) showing beautiful weather.  I attached the zipper pack underneath my seat (which took 15 minutes in and of itself), packed ID, credit card, insurance card (it would be just my luck I would crash and need to go to the hospital), 20 bucks, my phone and lip balm.  Grabbed my helmet and off I went.

I headed up to Columbus Circle.  I was a little skeptical about how to get from the circle to the internal road.  Something just didn't feel right about riding on the foot path.  I was sure there must be a rule.  Was I really going to get off my bike and walk it?  I cautiously rode down the path and a man in a green shirt with an embroidered green leaf on it seemed to appear from nowhere. He said "Young lady, there is no bike riding on the foot path".  I apologized and immediately got off my bike.  He told me it was a $50 dollar fine!  He must have known I was new at this. . . he was very nice about it all.

So I rode around Central Park.  It was glorious.  Beautiful weather.  I felt so free on my bike.  I figured out the gears to a certain extent, but still need more instruction.  I figured out what I needed.  I can't wait to ride more in the city and outside!  I love it!!